Deneb at forefront of digital manufacturing

Deneb at forefront of digital manufacturing

Keywords Computer aided design (CAD), Virtual reality

During the last two years,manufacturing companies all over the world have been investing in digital product mock-ups and manufacturing process simulation. Until now, they have lacked the ability to utilise these data to automatically generate, validate and actually control programs for automated equipment and material handling systems on the factory floor.

Deneb has made an important breakthrough in the sphere of digital manufacturing (see Plate 1) by facilitating the seamless integration of process planners' and control engineers' activities. The validation of control code in a virtual world rather than on the factory floor greatly reduces workcell verification, thus shortening typical manufacturing facility launch time considerably.

Deneb's IGRIP now has a direct interface with CATIA, the market leading CAD/CAM system from Dassault Systemes. It is this link that is the key to Deneb's prowess in the sphere of digital manufacturing. No other simulation product has this capability. Deneb also has a similar interface with Unigraphics Solutions, and maintains geometry interfaces with all other major CAD databases.

CATIA acts as a product design tool which also copes with all components and technological relationships, as well as engineering views and assembly structures including positions and tolerances. Therefore, anyone involved in the design and manufacturing stage can use Deneb's digital manufacturing tools to easily access up-to-date and accurate CATIA digital data. This work can then become a background reference for design for manufacture, assembly planning and workcell tooling purposes

Plate 1 Digital manufacturing with Deneb

IGRIP is Deneb Robotics'3D graphics-based simulation package which provides an interactive environment where production concepts, workcell designs and manufacturing processes are validated before implementation on the shopfloor. After verification is completed, automated factory floor devices, such as robots can be programmed off-line based on the CAD data for the part being processed. IGRIP provides interactive debugging for increased production reliability. man/machine safety and productivity.

Deneb has worked in partnership with Chrysler to produce control program generation analysis (CPGA)and digital manufacturing production system (DMAPS), both representing the most advanced attempts to completely integrate process and resources planning and control engineering within the automotive industry. "This CPGA technology will reduce the time it takes to program a typical workcell by thousands of hours,save two to four months of development time on passenger vehicles and save upwards of $20 million per assembly plant", said Frank Ewasyshin, vice-president advance manufacturing engineering, Chrysler Corporation. "The system will also more readily identify and eliminate process variation in the build process for better vehicle quality ­ and it will improve communication among manufacturing, engineering and supplier personnel ."